Air pistol or gun



Nov. 20, 1928. 1,692,555 G. s. LEWIS A1B PISTOL OR GUN Filed Feb.8, 1927H66 Na7 Patented Nev. .20, 192s.

g imlf'rri) srArs-s eA-rem f AIR PISTOL eRg'sUN Appiication inedFebruary s, i927.'- seriai No. iss ees.

My invention relates to improvements *in w anda seating lingerorpush'er, for the ainmunition, carried by said bleek adjacent tothe-liront end thereof, together with such 'other parts and members lasmay be necessary or desirable in order toy render the pistol or guncomplete andy serviceable `in every vrespect, all as hereinafter setforth.

Thevprimary object` of my invention is to produce an air pistolorrgun,of the spring-- pressed piston type, that iscompact, simple,

strong and durable, has comparativelyfew working parts, which parts areso enclosedas highly practida-l and efficient.

This pistol vor gun possesses great shooting porren-land is capable ofvery accurate shoot- Y to b'e thoroughly protected, .and withalYOtlierobjects Vand advantages `will appearv in the course of thefollowing description;-

I attain the objectsand ysecure 1theladvantages of my invention bythemeansaIid mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-`y Figure 1 isa side elevation oita pistol which embodies a practicalform ot" my. invention,

showing the movable'. parts and members disposed as'whfen the pistol isready to .fbe discharged; Fig. 2, a rear end elevation ot said istolFie; 3 `a central, lonv'itudinal vertical v Section'through the pistolwith .the parts disposed as in the first view; Fig. 4', a crosssec- Ition `through the breech block, .taken on lines v4&4, looking in thedirection of the associat- 'ed arrow, in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, asideelevationof the pistol with Vthe breech block in its retracted or openposition;Figli, an enlarged front end elevation of askirtedbullet; Fig. 7, acentral, longitudinal section through said bullet; Fig. 8, a sideelevation, in partial sec-v tion, of the rear-end portion of a "pistol,illiistrating a slig'fhtlyl modified form of construction, and, Fig.r9,a rear endV elevation of the parts and members shown in Fig.,8.

ila r parts throughout thes'everal views.

' Similar reference characters -designate sim-k y Although this`pistol'Will shoot l ordinary slugs or bullets, better results may beobtained when a solcalledskirted'bullet is fused' :for

ammunition, sueltas that represented at 1,

in Figs.` 3, G, and?,

rlfhis pistoly has a frame 2 portionof which Venters into theconstructionor vgt'ormationi,of a, handle 3. In opposite sides of thefra-ine 2 arie'longitudinally-extending grooves 5. Y vThe groovesexteiid from the-rear end of the trame; 2 toi'wardly for aboutthree-quarters iof thelen'gth o` said frame. The frame is re-y cessed aty(5 to receive as ear 7,8, trigger 8,l and aspiring 9. Mounted on thefront-endor` tion of the frame, and :extending beyonf 'the 'front endthereof, -isa barrel lO; i The-barrel l0 is secured to tlie frame`2 bymeansof a transverse pin 1l, one-haltet which is "in-said fi'fiame and'the other half in Vsaid barrel, and

'a' bolt l2passe'd upwardly through the A',t'raiiie to be tapped intothe barrel, At the-inner end ot the barrel 10 is alconieal-projeetion--13.

` The sear 7 is pivotallyconnected at 14: With the) sides of the recess6in thefranie andthe ,n

ltrigger 8 is pivotally connect/ ed `atfl with saidsides. At the rearyend ot the Seary 1 4 is upwardlyand.rearwariillygextendiiig `pro-'Jection oriii-ger 16. Theioi-ward endet the scar '7 rests en ,thetrigger 8. The recess 6* ,opens through the top et the` franie2, andvalso through .the bottoinof saidfrai e, and the trigv'er 8 has the usualtail-piecetwhich ,exv tends downwardly 1into position'to be.graspedv .bythe `linger when thepistol isfdischarg'ed.

Tliereis the usual guard 17 for the aforesaid trigger 'tail-piece. Thebottomfo'tl the recess 7.6, bach ot the iopeningfor. thetriggertailpiece, is concave, yas represented .et 4t2 in Fig.

3, and the spring 9 rests on ythis concave .hottom, between theorear-endportion, underneath` of thesear 7, and theback` edge `of the trigger' 8.Thespring 9 retains the v s e'ai" in` engagement oncontact with thetrigger, and normally said trigger in what'inay be ttermed its forwardposition and said scar with the finger 16v in eleva-ted position. -Aspiral .spring 4is `here used, although a bow spring i would :beapplicable.

g Thesear Tand trigger 8 are so consti' ucted that,1when tjhetinger isapplied to theQt-rigger `8 andpressed rearwardly, saidv trigger, in

swin.Q .iig on the V,pivot 15,e levates. the front end oi the sea i.7fand depresses ,the rear end thereot, all against the resiliency of thespring 9; then, pon therelease ofsaidfftriggerfrom the frame 2, said"block havin `tom oppositely-disposed, inwar ly-extending store'theparts to their normal positions, or to tend to do'so. Y Y

A breech block 18 is mounted to slide on on the botlanges 19, which arereceived in the grooves?) and thus hold said block on saidfframe, butpermitting it to slide thereon. In the bottom ot' the block 18, abovethe recess 6, is a longitudinal slot 37 to accommodate the sear finger16. Securedin the bore of the block 18, by means of a transverse pin 20,is zin-abutment 21, from which extends inwardly acentering pn'22 for aspring` 23, in` the. construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5.The abutnient 21 is grooved` as at 24, to permit the air ner end of saidbore and the inner to escape trolnthe block 18, when said block 18 isdrawn forward to close the rear end ot the barrel and to compress thespring A plunger "is arranged Yto slide in the bore in the bree'ichblock18, said plunger being provided with packing, as at 26, Vtopreyentthe escape of air between said plunger and the sides of said'bore. vThepacking26 i is adjacent to the forward end of the plunger 25, andadjacent to the rear end of said plunger is'anannular groove 27. Thegroove 27 is adapted to receive the sear linger 1G. spring 23 extends25, and bears at opposite ends against rthe inside of the abutment 21,respectively.V The pin 22 also extends part'way vintothe bore in theplungbreech block Tapped into the front end of the bore in the 18 is ahollow plug 28 interiorly tapered to correspond with the taper ot therejection 13 at the rear end of the barrel 10, and adapted toreceivesaid projection when said block is vmoved into closed position.The

forward movement of the plunger 25 is limj ited by the plug The plug 28is provided with a pusher 29 for the bullet. vThe pusher 29 extends intothe passage through the. plug 28, and. has a cross-head 30 at the innerend that is received in a transverse slot" in the rear end of said plug,said cross-head being driven into said slot, or otherw1se rigidlysecured 1n place in the plug. The function of the `finger 29 will bemore fully explained in connection with the explanation of the completeoperation of the pistol.

An actuating lever 31, for the breech block 18, is pivotally connectedat 32 with the frame 3 beneath the barrel 10, and a link 33 connectssaid lever with said block, oneend Iof said link being pivotallyconnected at 34 with said lever, and the other end of said link beingpiv- Votally connectedat 35 with said `block adjacent to the forward endthereof. `The pivot 32 ismuch nearer one end than the other of the lever31, and it is to said tlrst-na'medend that thelink 33 is pivoted at 34.The free end of the lever 31 is offset and ormedwith a later allyextending, curved lip 36 adapted to fit The .i into a bore in theplunger over and baarden topwoftthe block 18, when said lever thrownover inthe direction t move said block forwardly. Y

Starting with the parts and members disposed `as in Figs. 1 and 3, thecomplete operation of the pistol is described as follows Y The lever 31is swung on the pivot 32 upwardly, forwardly, and downwardly, Jfrom Atheposition which saidlever occupies in Fig.

1 into that which it occupies in Fig. 5, with the result that the breechblock 18 is moved i by said lever and the link 33 rearwardlyon the frame2 into theposition-*shown in said last-named view.

Thismovement of `the block 18 opens the way to the rear end ot' thebarrel 10, and the operator inserts a bullet 1 in the bore in vsaidbarrel at thatend, it being understomlthat'said bore extends through 1the projection 13. In moving rearwardly, the

block-18 carries with it the plunger 25 far enough for the sear iin ger16` tosnapinto the groove'27 in said plunger. VThe airin the bore of theblock18 back of the plunger 25 is `forced out through the `grooves 24 1nthe abutment 21. Next the lever 81 is swung upwardly, rearwardly, anddownwardly,on the,

pivot 32, until the lip 36 comes to rest on top of the breech block18'.` During this,

movement of the lever 31 the block 18 is actuated `forwardly on thename2, by said lever andthe link, 33, until said block bears against therear end of the barrel 10, with the "projection 13V inthe plug '28. Atthis'` time the pusher 29 encounters the bullet 1 and seats the same orcauses the same `to be full seated in the bore in the barrel. As thebloei; 18 moves forwardly the spring 23 is compressed between the innerendo the borein the plunger 25 and the advancing abutment 21, becausesaid plunger is now held against `forward movement b the sear `7. 'lhe)arts leased plunger 25 orwwardly with great Aforce, and sald plungercompresses themr in the block ,1:8be'tween the plunger' and the bullet1, with the result that said bullet is i forced through the barrel 10and out ofthe same` at a high rate of velocity. The thickness of thepusher 29 with its cross-head 30 is so niuch less than the diameter ofthe opening 38 through the plug 28 that there is ample space for thepassage ot' the comv pressed air .on both sides of said pusher. The

plunger 25 is driven forward bythe spring 23 until said plunger strikesthe plug 28.

The pivots 32,34,= and 35 are so relatively positioned that, when thelever 31 is thrown4 over with the lip 36 onthe `breech block 8,

the plane common tothe centers of the pivots i' in whichy is located thecenter of the pivot 3,2,

viorwar dly.

hence said lever is locked' in closed position without liability ofbecoming accidentally displaced. v ,i

The breech block. 1%V may be closed without compressing the spring 23.i-ftlle. trigger 8 be pulled to release the plunger soon after saidblock commences to. move forward, suoli action permitting said plungertof be carried forward with said block. This is lthe preferred conditionwhen the p iSlfOl is in use.

In the modification illllStIjated in Figs, 8 and 9, a fixed abutment 39,is provided for the spring 23, instead of the 1novableahutment 21. Theabutment 39, is verypsiniilar to the abutment 21, except that the formeris an integral` .Part of 0r aiixed to. the frame@- There is alongitudinali slot in the bottom of the breech block 18 to accommodate aconnecting part 41 between the frame 2 and that part of the abutment 39which isin thel boite of said block. The abutment 39 has therein grooves24 for thepflssase 0f all as in th@ other example, and saidabut-mentalsohas Y a pin (22)v attached thereto for the purposeoit-.centering the Sprinsr In the modilied construction the spring 23iscompressedon the rearward movement ci' Y the breech block 18, insteadot on the forward movement thereof, because, when saidy block is movedrearwardly and with it the plunger 25 the s rino is V'com iressedbetween said plunger and thestationary abutment At the end of therearward' njiovement of the parts the sear '7 engages the plunger 25, asin the other examplaand causes the spring 23 toebe held undercompression-while the block 18 is moved' forward to Close the rear endoi the barrel 10, and `until the trigger. 8` is actuated to cause-saidscarto release said plunger. Otherwise the construction and operation ofthe parts and members are similar in both cases.

The breech block 18 can be opened and closed without leaving the spring23 under compression, provided the trigger 8l pulled to prevent theseal' 7 from engaging the plunger at the time said block is vmovedWhenthe breech. block Closed, the pusher 29 seats the bullet in thebarrel, even if. said bullet falls back or down a short distanee as mayoccur in the event the pistol be elevate-d at the muzzle while saidblock is closing, and the bullet is too loosely held after beinginitially inserted by hand.

The plug 28 should have an air-tight .fit with the barrel projection 13.

No essential change would be involved in embodying this invention in agun instead of in a pistol.

More or less change in the shape, size, construction, and arrangement ofsomeor all of the parts of this pistol or gun, in addition thosehereinbefore specifically pointed out, may be made without departingtrom :the spirit ot" my invention, 0r` exceeding the ,Scope o f'whatiselaimed.y e f What I. alain as my invention., and desire to securelayLetters Patent, is

-1. lThe combina-tienda an air pistol 0.1' gun, with a, frame providedwith a fixed barrel, and further provided with engaging and releasing'means for i a plunger, of a breech blockslidingly mounted on said frame`behind and in line with said barrel, and adapted to bev movedrearwardly unt-'il its rear end is clear of said frame, a plungerarranged to slide in said block, and to be engaged by and releasedfrom said engaging and releasing means, an abutment, a spring interposedbeand releasing means.

2. The combination, in anair pistol orgun,

with a frame provided with a fixed barrel, and further provided withCooperating tweensaidplunger and 'said abutment, and .movable meansbetween said :tramel and block .spring-pressed sear and triggermember-dof a breech block yslidngly mounted on said frame behind saidbarrel, and slotted for the .reception of a portion ofsaid sear, anabutment secured in the rear` end of said block, a plunger slidinglyarranged in said block in front of saidabutment, and having a partadapted to be engaged by and released 'from said 'sear member, a springIinterposed, between saidplungerwd said abutment, and

Ameans pivotally connected with said iframe and block to move thelatterforwardly `and rearwardly. Y

3. Iny an airpistol or gun, a frame provided with a fixed barrel., andfurther provided with Sear and trigger members, a breech block slidinglyarranged ,on said frame behind said barrel, aplunger in said blockadapted to be carriedthereby into a position to be engaged by said sear.member, and adapted to move independently in said block when releasedfrom said member, a spring bearing onsaid plunger from behind, anabutment for therearend of said spring, a perforated plug in the forwardend of said block to limittheforward movement in said plunger, a bulletpusher in the opening. in said plug, but of. less area transversely thanthat of said opening to permit air to pass therethrough, and meanspivot* ally connected with said frame and said block for actuating thelatter toward and away from said barrel.

4. In an air pistol or gun, a frame provided with a iixed barrel, andfurther provided with sea-r and trigger members, a breech blockslidingly arranged on said frame behind said barrel, a plunger in saidblock adapted to be vcarried thereby into a position to be engaged iisby said sear member, and adapted to move independently in said blockwhen released from said member, a spring bearing on said plunger Vfrombehind, an abutment for the rear end of `and further provided withcooperating triggerv and scar members, of a breech block slidinglyarranged on said frame back oi' said barrel, and adapted to be movedfrom engagement with the barrel rearwardly beyond the back end of theframe, and forwardly again into said engagement, a plunger slidinglyarranged in said block, and having a part to be engaged by and releasedfrom said scar member, a spring bearing at one end against said plunger,an abutment for the opposite end of said spring, an exterior leverpivotally connected intermediate of its ends directlywith said frame,and an exterior link pivotally connected with one end of said lever andwith said block, whereby said block is actuated forwardly when saidlever is swung on its pivot upwardly, over, and downwardly into normalposition, and rearwardly when said lever is swung on its pivot fromnormal position upwardly, over, and down- Vwardly into a position whereit extends beyond the muzzle end ofthe barrel.

(3; The combination, in an air pistol or gun, with a frame provided witha fixed barrel, and further provided with cooperating trigy ger and searmembers, of a breech block slidingly arranged on said frame back of saidbarrel, and adapted to be moved from engagement with the barrelrearwardly be ond the back end of the frame, and orwar ly again intosaid engagement, a plunger slidingly arranged in said block, and havinga part adapted to be engaged by and released from said sear member, aspring bearing at one end against said plunger, an abutment for theopposite end of said spring, an exterior lever pivotally connectedintermediate of its ends directly with said frame, and an exterior linkpivotally connected with one end of said lever and with said block,whereby said block is actuated forwardly when said lever is swung on itspivot upwardly, over, and

downwardly into normal position, and rearwardly when said lever 1s swungon its pivot -rom `normal position upwardly, over, and

downwardly into a position where it extends beyond the muzzle of thebarrel, said-lever 7 In an air pistol or gun, a frame, a barrel mountedon sald frame, and a hollow breech Y block'slidingly mounted on saidiframe behind and in line withfsaidbarrel.l said block being provided atthe front end with a-pusher for a bullet inserted in said barrel, whichpusher is of less area transversely than that of `the bore in saidblock, and of'greater area transversely than the bore in said barrel, atadjacent ends of said bore.'4

8. The combination, in an air pistol or gun,

with a frame provided with a fixed barrel,

of a breech block slidingly mounted on said frame behind said barrel, aperforated plug in the forward end of said block, and a pusher carriedby said block and extending into the opening therein, said pusher beingof less area transversely thanV that of the opening through said plungerto permit of the passage `of air therethrough, and adapted, whenadvanced with said block, to force into said barrel a bullet inserted inthe breech thereof.

9; In an air pistol or gun, a frame, a barrel mounted on said frame, andhaving at the rear end a conical projection, a breech block mounted toslide on said, frame behind said barrel, a slotted plug in the front endof said block, said plug having an opening therethrough the sides ofwhich at the forward end are adapted to receive said projection, and apusher in saidopening, said pusher being of less area transversely thanthat of the opening through said plug to permit of the passage of airtherethrough, having ahead seated in the slot in said plug, and adapted,when advanced with said plug, to force into said barrel a bulletinserted in the breech thereof.

GEORGE S. LEWIS.

